It's time for both Messrs Karnataka Governor H R Bhardwaj and Yeddyurappa to introspect

The last few weeks have seen the relationship between the Karnataka Governor H R Bhardwaj and the CM B S Yeddyurappa touch a new low following the decision by the former to grant sanction for the prosecution of the latter on a private complaint alleging corruption charges.

Yeddyurappa could have been hoping that the governor had emulated the stand taken by the PM on A Raja. On November 29, 2008, Janata Party president Subramaniam Swamy had sought sanction from the PM for prosecution of the then telecom minister for irregular allotment of 2G spectrum licences for mobile phone services.

On November 23, 2010, some 9 days after Raja was forced to resign, India's Attorney General (AG) told the Supreme Court that "The question of sanction cannot and does not arise". The AG added that a private complainant could move the sanctioning authority only after a competent court found his complaint "prima facie disclosing commission of an offence" and decided to issue notice to the accused.

With Bhardwaj saying he could not keep quiet when the land scam had cost Karnataka Rs 500 crore, Yeddyurappa could have been hoping that the PM's stand on not giving sanction for the then telecom minister's prosecution would be the norm for the purported land scam in and around Bangalore which was 352 times smaller than the 2G one! Raja was arrested last Wednesday, 80 days after he resigned and when sanction was not required.

However, sauce for the Rs 1,76,000-crore goose (the Hindi word for bribe is ghoos!) is not sauce for the Rs 500-crore gander. Bhardwaj's action has seen the BJP accuse him of behaving like a Congress agent. "Ulta chor kotwal ko daante" (The thief is reprimanding the cop who caught him), the governor retorted.

And so, on the morning of the Republic Day Parade in Bangalore, when both the governor and the CM had to be present, the TV cameras followed them. Finally, the moment arrived when Bhardwaj and Yeddyurappa had to release a batch of balloons together.

After initially gazing in opposite directions, the two looked at each other, shook hands and embraced. If a few moments in front of the TV cameras could break the ice, 24-by-7 coverage could perhaps transform the relationship between Bhardwaj and Yeddyurappa into a role-model for governors and CMs, instead of the other way round!

Time was when politicians appointed as governors refrained from returning to active politics. It was, therefore, assumed that these governors were strictly non-partisan and that their past record had nothing to do with gubernatorial decisions.

However, the Manmohan Singh government has not one but two former governors serving as Union ministers with cabinet rank—former Maharashtra governor Krishna and former AP governor Shinde. Even the original Mrs Gandhi—Indira, who was accused of breaking several conventions—never appointed former governors as ministers.

Hopefully, so that the people can be assured that all the decisions he has taken as Karnataka governor are in the best interests of the state and not motivated by any desire to impress the Congress high command, Bhardwaj will issue a public statement that he will never return to active politics!